World's largest car rental group to open branch in Taiwan

2012/06/27 22:04:30

Taipei, June 27 (CNA) Avis, the world's largest car rental group, will soon launch full operations in Taiwan and become the first global car rental brand to offer a service in Taiwan, the Ministry of Economic Affairs said in a press release Wednesday.

The New Jersey-headquartered company, whose investment application was approved April 16 by the ministry, is scheduled to open its Taiwan branch on Thursday, according to Chen Ming-teh, an official at the ministry's InvesTaiwan Service Center, which helps foreign investors establish businesses in Taiwan.

A local travel agency has been Avis's agent since 2007, but it only offers rental services for local travelers going abroad, Chen said in the press release.

Avis in Taiwan, the 175th country in Avis's global network, will provide wider services for both domestic travelers and visitors to the island, particularly Chinese tourists, the release said.

A major difference between Avis and over 800 local rental companies is that it offers overseas services for business travelers and tourists, with over 5,200 locations worldwide, the release added.

Moreover, more than 85 percent of local companies have fewer than 20 vehicles for rent, while Avis has over 500,000 around the world, according to the release.